Afghan, International Forces Detain Insurgents

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 29, 2010 — An Afghan and inter­na­tion­al force detained a num­ber of sus­pect­ed insur­gents includ­ing a Tal­iban facil­i­ta­tor in Afghanistan’s Hel­mand province last night, mil­i­tary offi­cials report­ed.

The facil­i­ta­tor, believed to be a key play­er in the facil­i­ta­tion net­work in the province’s Now Zad dis­trict, alleged­ly is respon­si­ble for procur­ing and dis­trib­ut­ing bomb-mak­ing components. 

After clear­ing sev­er­al build­ings in the vil­lage of Do Sang, in the Now Zad dis­trict, the com­bined secu­ri­ty force detained the facil­i­ta­tor and sev­er­al sus­pect­ed associates. 

A sep­a­rate Afghan and inter­na­tion­al force detained a sus­pect­ed insur­gent in Kan­da­har province while pur­su­ing a Tal­iban facil­i­ta­tor last night. 

The com­bined secu­ri­ty force searched a com­pound near Vak­il Ros­tam Kalay in the province’s Pan­jwai dis­trict and detained the man for fur­ther questioning. 

The com­bined force pro­tect­ed women and chil­dren present dur­ing the search­es, and no shots were fired dur­ing either operation. 

Afghan and coali­tion forces have made sig­nif­i­cant progress in Kan­da­har by increas­ing offen­sive oper­a­tions in the province and cap­tur­ing or killing key Tal­iban lead­ers, offi­cials said. Com­bined Afghan and inter­na­tion­al forces recent­ly removed the Tal­iban dis­trict chiefs for Zharay, Pan­jwai, Mai­wand and Dand dis­tricts. Hajji Amir, for­mer­ly the Dand dis­trict chief, was killed May 30 in Kandahar. 

Source:
From an Inter­na­tion­al Secu­ri­ty Assis­tance Force Joint Com­mand News Release